Three's a Crowd
by blood red youth
Summary: When Arra and Larten start to become a little bit more than friends, young Gavner Purl is less than pleased. For Rowan Rawr's contest.


This is my entry for Rowan Rawr's contest - hope you enjoy!

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><p><strong>Three's a Crowd<strong>

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><p>Gavner Purl had definitely had a tough night.<p>

He was a cheerful kind of guy by nature, but on this particular night, he found he had absolutely nothing to be cheerful about. He had been training hard in preparation for his Trials for the last four months, and he felt absolutely exhausted. Before he had begun training for his Trials, he had considered Vancha March one of his friends – now that Vancha was his Trials tutor, he never wanted to see the smelly green-haired vampire again for as long as he lived. Vancha was merciless with his training schedule, expecting Gavner to be ready for any challenge he might set him exactly at the turn of midnight _every single night _. He was also especially merciless with his punishments for Gavner's occasional lateness, or occasional inability to complete the task he had been set. Gavner was _convinced_ he had taken some sort of sick pleasure in watching him run a hundred laps of the Games Hall earlier that night in payment for taking a little longer to eat his bat broth than usual and therefore running a few minutes late for his nightly torture session.

If Vancha March's attempts to train him for the Trials weren't bad enough, Gavner had made the mistake of offering to help the Quartermaster with the preparations for next Council some months before, and was in the process of paying the price for his offer of assistance. Seba was a nice enough vampire, but he had run short of helpers this year ahead of the mass arrivals and had begun to rely on Gavner's help heavily, asking him to source and transport back copious amounts of food from local towns, even going as far as to ask the young vampire to trap poisonous snakes for the upcoming Trials. He felt sorry for Seba though, and knew that the ageing vampire was incapable of organizing the whole Council himself, so he hadn't the heart to say no.

This, along with his crippling training regime, was simply getting too much for young Gavner. All he wanted to do, having already dragged coffins from the storerooms up to the new cells for over three hours and been tortured by Vancha for a few hours before that, was to have a warm mug of blood and possibly several barrels of ale with his friends and forget all about his troubles.

Though he searched high and low for said friends, the only one Gavner had any success in finding was Kurda. Too tired to search for them any longer, he collapsed into a bench across from the young blonde vampire in the Hall of Kheldon Lurt, laying his head on the table despairingly.

"Good evening, Gavner," Kurda Smahlt said after a moment's pause, observing the limp vampire lying face-down on the table in front of him.

Kurda slurped his broth and clicked his tongue awkwardly. "… Having a nice evening?" he asked redundantly, and Gavner groaned at simply the mention of what his night had been like so far. He liked Kurda, even though hardly anybody else did, but he wasn't in the mood to discuss his _feelings _like the blonde would probably want him to. He just wanted to get royally hammered, which he had no doubt Kurda wouldn't approve of as a way of resolving his problems. Spying some ale in the corner ripe for drinking as he lifted his head, Gavner knew who he needed to find. Vancha March was more like a demented psychopath in his eyes now than a drinking companion, and there was only one other vampire Gavner could think of that would be accepting of the idea of a long drinking session with him.

"Have you seen Larten?" he asked Kurda, ignoring the younger vampire's questions about what was bothering him and whether he felt having some bat broth might help.

Rather than be hurt at Gavner's clear preference for his orange-haired friend, Kurda simply rolled his eyes. "I saw him earlier," he revealed, taking another sip of broth and narrowly avoiding swallowing a whole bat wing in the process. "The cooks are really going downhill you know," Kurda said, forgetting all about Larten for a second as he stared at the almost-whole bat in disgust. "You should tell Seba about that."

Gavner shuddered openly at that idea. Seba would probably have forced him to cook all the meals for the entire Mountain instead. "Where was Larten earlier?" Gavner pressed. Kurda and Larten weren't the best of friends – Kurda had an irritating habit of coming across at a bit too big for his boots that Larten had interpreted as condescension. Arra didn't like the younger assistant much either, but Gavner was less worried about that – there were loads of people Arra didn't really like. It probably said more about her personality than it did about Kurda's.

"He was in one of the north tunnels, with Arra," Kurda told him, but he looked a little uncomfortable. Gavner wondered for a second whether Kurda was being deliberately obtuse – the youngster loved maps and had memorised his way around most of the mountains tunnels; he probably could have been more specific if he wished. Rather than waste any more time discussing it with him, though, Gavner let out an impatient huff and made to set off north.

"Hang on," Kurda called him back. Turned away, Gavner rolled his eyes, before forcing himself to turn back politely. Kurda hadn't really done anything wrong, he knew, and it was only a combination of frustration and exhaustion that made him impatient with the younger vampire. Kurda cleared his throat awkwardly and stared down into his empty bowl (well, empty except for the unsettling bat carcass).

"Don't you think you should give them some space?" Kurda blurted out after a moment. "I was with them earlier, and it just felt like…I don't know. I think they'd be grateful for a night or two, you know…" Kurda waved one of his hands because he couldn't find the right words. "_Without_ …you." he finished lamely, wringing his hands as though he was afraid he had offended Gavner.

The burly brown-haired man just chuckled. "Not to upset you, Kurda," he said. "But I think you just felt awkward because, let's be honest, they don't really like you."

Again, rather than be offended by the oaf's words, Kurda took it all in his stride and sighed.

"But three's a crowd, Gav," he said softly.

"But we're all friends," Gavner argued, trying not to sound too childish. He looked around to check if anyone else could hear their discussion, and then carried on in a lower tone. "If anyone's left out, realistically it's Arra. Mika's always taking up so much of her time, and me and Larten have known each other so much longer. But we don't leave her out."

Kurda couldn't even be bothered to hide the roll of his eyes, wondering how it was even possible for anyone to be this dim. He was about to wave Gavner off and give up on trying to explain anything to someone with such a thick skull, and then he paused and looked at the older vampire's kind eyes and clueless gaze. His mouth dropped open.

"Um," Kurda said uncomfortably. "You…really haven't got any idea what I'm talking about, have you?"

Gavner let out a hearty laugh, and shrugged. "For someone so clever, you sure aren't making a lot of sense, Smahlt!"

Kurda was still staring at him in shock. He knew that many vampires were oblivious – Mika, for one, hadn't seemed to realize or come to terms with his assistant's new romance, and Seba had been too busy to notice anything out of the ordinary about Larten – but Kurda had presumed that anything he had managed to infer about Arra and Larten Gavner would also have realized . He spent so much more time with the pair, for one thing, and, as Gavner had so sensitively pointed out, they actually _liked _him so they were probably far more likely to tell him of any…developments in their lives. He knew Gavner wasn't exactly the most observant vampire, but this really took the cake.

"Have you not noticed Arra and Larten getting a bit more, er, chummy?"

Gavner plucked the bat wing out of Kurda's bowl to nibble on it, much to the blonde's disgust. "Yeah," he said, still seemingly oblivious. "I think it's great. Arra can be a bit prickly and sometimes I'm not even sure she likes _me_, so I'm glad her and Larten get along. She'd be stuck with Mika the whole time if they didn't, and we all know how awkward _that _would be."

Kurda gaped at him. "First of all," he spluttered in disbelief. "I have to say, 'a bit prickly' is a dashing understatement. And, secondly, you actually think that's all that's going on?"

Gavner stared back at him blankly.

"They're a couple, Gav."

There was a second of silence and then Gavner roared with laughter again. "No they aren't," he argued, still apparently finding the idea humorous. "Larten would have told me if he was after Arra, he always tells me. And besides, Arra would never go for him, as if Mika would approve!" He lowered his voice conspiratorially, as though sharing some special bit of gossip. "And between me and you," he said. "I know she can be a bit of a bitch, but she's sort of…got the market sewn up around here, if you know what I mean. She could probably do better. Don't tell Larten I said that, though – he still thinks he's God's gift to women."

Kurda might have laughed had he not been in such awe of his friend's stupidity. "First of all," he began again, hardly knowing where to begin. "'A bit of a bitch' is another dashing understatement. And second of all, Mika doesn't know. And thirdly, Larten's too love-struck to tell anyone anything. And they _are _a couple, Gavner – I'm just shocked they didn't tell you."

Gavner had started to look a little bit unsettled. "You've got it wrong," he said, but he was no longer laughing. "They would _definitely _have told me. As if you'd know before I did!"

Taking yet another insult in his stride, Kurda pushed on. "They didn't tell me," he clarified, for Gavner's peace of mind – Arra would probably rather have cut out her own tongue than told Kurda of all people something she would think so embarrassing. "I've just been noticing it. They were holding hands after training the other day, didn't you see?"

"Holding hands doesn't mean anything," Gavner said defensively. "One of them must have been having trouble walking – Larten keeps hurting his left ankle in training and –"

"-And they spend all their time together," Kurda continued. "Everywhere I go I run into them, even when you're training with Vancha or working for Seba. Speaking of Seba, he made me help in the store-rooms and Arra and Larten were just sitting there, talking, like they couldn't force themselves to do anything but look at each other. Pretty sickening, really, but I suppose it was a _little_ bit cute."

"Well, they're friends!" Gavner argued. "I'd spend a lot more time with them if I had the time to spare."

"And they were kissing today in the tunnels," Kurda continued, noticing Gavner's face dropping further and further with each comment. "I think they only went to the northern tunnels because nobody has any reason to go there really, apart from the cartographers. Larten went bright red when I caught them, it was hilarious. Arra just looked like she wanted to kill me, so no change there really – I doubt she really cared."

Gavner didn't look like he was finding anything about these revelations amusing. Now that he thought about it, there had been something different about the two of them lately. Larten wasn't nearly as stuffy as he usually was – he'd even cracked a few jokes in front of a whole table of his peers the other night, leaving everyone surprised at his unusually high spirits. _And_ Arra hadn't been being as mean to either of them lately. The three of them had managed to convince Seba to let them have a few caskets of wine the other night (Larten had been hesitant to ask after his mishap last time with the vinegar, but Arra had managed to get around Seba somehow regardless) and nobody had been in low spirits – it had been one of their best nights together, in fact, all laughing raucously and having fun. Arra had even managed to get an equally tipsy Larten to _dance_, a sight Gavner had given up on ever seeing, and –

– _Oh._ Gavner suddenly remembered it for what it really was, the two of them laughing and dancing and being generally merry while Gavner sat and watched and drank more. Kurda saw the realization on Gavner's face and made a sympathetic noise.

"Don't look so down about it," he said kindly. "It might be nice to have friends who are a couple. Besides, it's not like they aren't going to want you around. They just might need to be on their own, some of the time."

For someone who was clearly a little bit dim, Gavner was putting together the pieces of a resolution to the issue pretty quickly. He simply couldn't have Arra and Larten falling in _love_ – or whatever – and leaving him on his own. Young vampires in the Mountain were few and far between; without the two of them, all Gavner was really left with was sensible Kurda. It simply couldn't happen.

"So what you're saying is," Gavner said slowly. "They're a couple now, but they haven't told anyone. It's a pretty new thing. Yes?"

Kurda narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "…Yes," he said hesitantly, feeling like he'd just agreed to be an accessory to murder.

"So," Gavner said, and stood, rubbing his hands together with a grim frown. "I still have time to fix it."

Kurda choked. "I never said anything about _fixing_ it," he said quickly. "They're okay Gav, it doesn't need fixing. There's nothing to be fixed. Please don't –"

"Realistically," Gavner continued, not listening to the blonde's pleas. "They aren't very well-matched. I'd be doing them both a favour really, saving them the trouble of embarking on a doomed relationship. Right?"

"No!" Kurda cried desperately. "This isn't why I told you! They're very well-matched! It isn't doomed! It –" while Kurda continued to attempt to salvage the situation, Gavner had already begun marching away to find his loved-up friends. Before he was out of earshot, Kurda shouted the most important part; "_Please don't tell them I told you!_"

As Gavner disappeared out of the Hall, Kurda put his head in his hands. He'd be lucky to see another sunset if Larten found out about this.

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><p>Vampire Mountain wasn't much for privacy - with no doors, the cells weren't exactly ideal. Larten's was directly opposite Seba's, which would have been guaranteed to end in a scolding for their idleness if the young couple were caught by the busy Quartermaster, and Arra's was next door to Mika's, which would have been guaranteed to end in a scolding for an entirely different reason if they were caught there. The lack of doors did, however, give an ideal opportunity for the vampires to hear the sound of their friend's classic heavy breathing and heavy footfalls a mile off – particularly in a more secluded area of the Mountain, away from their prying mentors.<p>

Gavner's cell happened to fall into this secluded area. Anything outside of the Mountain was covered in sheets of ice this time of year – hardly appropriate weather for a blossoming romance – and the tunnels were growing exceptionally cold as the inhospitable temperatures tried to crawl down into the vampires' residences. It was for this reason, and partly due to Gavner's increasingly busy schedule, that Arra and Larten often found themselves in their friend's cell.

If asked, they were merely waiting for him to return. In reality, they were hoping he didn't for as long as possible.

Ironically, his own cell was usually the last place Gavner thought to look for them – and usually by the time he got around to it, they'd moved on somewhere else, realising that he'd probably finished training for the day. It was a perfect crime – it was far too easy to outsmart Gavner, and so simply by keeping their minds on the time they had always managed to avoid even being questioned over their presence in his cell. But even if they had been, it wasn't unusual for them to wait for him there, and it wasn't unusual for them to wait without Kurda – even had they not been seeking privacy, Arra would not have invited the young pacifist.

Tonight, though, the new couple had very much lost track of time. Kissing a trail down her neck and playfully biting just above her collarbone, Larten thumbed the bottom of her shirt, one hand ghosting over the lowest button and the other sliding underneath and up her back. He cursed himself for what a coward he could be with Arra – surely it must have seemed a sign of weakness. _Just do it, _he thought, ready to undo the buttons, or rip the whole thing off her if necessary – but then, was that what she deserved? The edge of Gavner's coffin digging into his back and the necessity to keep one eye on the door at all times hardly made for a romantic setting. The last thing he wanted was for this to seem…_cheap_, or meaningless.

Wester would have laughed at him for weeks over this; fallen hard for a girl without even being able to get her shirt off for his own blushing and stuttering? Disgraceful. But Larten didn't care. It felt miraculous enough that she was here with him at all, and that was enough to mean that he would not push his luck. But as though she had read his initial thoughts, one of Arra's hands slid up to cup his jaw, coaxing him into another kiss, and the other made short work of her shirt fastenings. The way she shrugged the fabric off was so casual that he almost wondered whether any of this meant half as much to her as it did to him. But then, as his hands crept over her ribs, she shivered – and the flash of vulnerability in her eyes, so unlike her, told a different story to her carelessness. He made to resume his previous path, starting at her collarbone and tracing down, but instead she kissed him bruisingly. He tried to wonder whether that was because she needed the reassurance, but Gods – she was making it too difficult to even think straight, let alone put together a sentence to ask her.

She broke away. "Gavner!" she said suddenly.

At first, Larten had been in far too much of a daze over her kiss and her hot skin under his hands to understand what she'd said. When he'd grasped that Gavner was indeed the name of their companion, his brow furrowed. Why had she been thinking of _Gavner_, of all people? It had been a perfect moment of passion as far as he was concerned, and she was busy thinking about Gavner Purl?

Finally, before he managed to be too offended, Larten noticed the approaching footsteps. Arra had already sprung away, slipping her shirt back on and fussing over the buttons. Larten almost groaned out loud. How long was it going to take him to work up the courage to get her to do _that_ again?

Just as she'd finished putting her appearance back to normal – and long before Larten had even begun trying to fix his – Gavner rounded the corner into his cell, coming to an abrupt halt at the unexpected sight of his friends.

"Hey Gavner!" Arra chirped, a little too happily for the exhausted younger vampire, who was taken aback by the greeting and almost flinched. The only time Arra ever sounded that happy was when she was about to beat someone to a pulp, in his experience. To his relief, her fists stayed by her sides.

Larten, still too occupied with trying not to be angry with his friend's _horrendous _sense of timing, ran a weary hand over his eyes and mustered a less delighted "Hello".

Gavner's eyes narrowed. He'd thought about his conversation with Kurda all the way back to his cell, having decided to wait until tomorrow to put his relationship-destruction plan into action. He suspiciously glanced over each friend – but they'd been on opposite sides of the room, for one thing, and he hadn't heard any voices on his way up – they clearly hadn't been having one of those in-depth, romantic discussions like Kurda had mentioned. Besides, even if Arra was a little weirdly cheerful, Larten looked even _more _miserable than usual. If Kurda's analysis was correct, he ought to have been looking a lot more love-struck by now rather than just exhaling and pinching the bridge of his nose like something had frustrated him. Maybe they'd been having an argument – getting the last word probably would have made Arra pretty happy, and Larten had always hated losing.

As he sat down, everything began to seem a little less dire. As Arra asked about his night and he began to fill her in on Vancha's training regime of death, even Larten cracked a smile – and it was just the three of them again, same as ever.

"What have you two been up to?" he asked after he finished detailing his evening, narrowing his eyes again. Arra's lips looked a bit puffy when he squinted at them, but then when he looked again he wasn't so sure.

"Not much," she responded casually. Gavner didn't notice Larten's indignant look. "We went for a walk in the tunnels earlier, but it's getting colder – we didn't even make it outside."

Gavner thought about what Kurda had said about running into the pair of them. He didn't think Kurda would have been likely to lie about any of it – but he might have misinterpreted it. Kurda Smahlt was too clever for his own good sometimes and had probably seen them joking around and thought wrongly about the whole situation. They even play fought sometimes, Gavner remembered – how easy would that have been to misconstrue? He simply didn't want to believe that there was any truth in what Kurda had said, and so he decided not to mention Kurda bumping into them at all.

"Then we came to wait for you," Arra finished.

"We've been here for hours," Larten added, sounding exasperated – Gavner assumed (wrongly) that it was because he had grown tired of waiting so long for him.

"Oh cheer _up_," Arra teased suddenly, shooting a playful grin at the orange-haired vampire. _Nothing out of the ordinary_, Gavner convinced himself, pleased to see her mocking him as she usually did. "If you're going to be miserable all the rest of the night, maybe Gavner and me should just go and get a drink _alone_."

Gavner's ears perked up at the mention of the alcohol and he turned to smile at her. Larten's perked up at the challenge, and he quirked an eyebrow at her while Gavner's back was turned, pulling himself to his feet.

"For you two," he said with an over-dramatic sigh, giving Arra a shove for her teasing. "I suppose I can manage to be slightly brighter company."

Satisfied with the display he'd seen, Gavner began to feel far more at ease. The little shove had been enough to convince him that Kurda had been reading too much into things again, and he tumbled out of his cell with his two best friends back towards the Hall of Kheldon Lurt, visualising that barrel of ale he'd wanted so badly earlier. He was certain enough, in fact, that as they entered the Hall and took their seats at a table in the far left corner he launched into his latest funny story.

"The weirdest thing happened earlier," he said. He felt even more relaxed when they didn't even chose to sit next to each other – Larten sat on the bench beside him and Arra took the seat next to the wall alone, sitting sideways with her legs stretched out in front of her. "I was looking for you two, and I came in here and found Kurda."

Gavner was immersed in telling his story, but Larten and Arra exchanged panicked glances.

"And I asked him if he'd seen you," he said, nodding at Larten, who stared back at him with one half of his jaw clenched painfully.

It had been his idea in the first place not to tell Gavner – at least, not for a little while. The stocky young vampire had enough trouble leaving them alone as it was, and Larten imagined the second he knew they were a couple he would delight in causing them as much awkward misery as possible, following them everywhere and surprising them by taking impromptu breaks from his work with Seba – Crepsley shuddered at the very thought. In a less selfish sense, he had also known Gavner a long time – long enough to know that he was prone to jealousy, even more than the orange-haired vampire himself. They were such a new couple that he felt the last thing they needed was Gavner's attempts to spend as much time with both of them as they spent with each other, wheedling them away from one another in a needy attempt to keep his friendships intact. Trust Kurda to make all of those fears a reality.

"And he said you were in the north tunnels earlier," Gavner continued, unaware of his best friend's temper boiling beside him. "But that's not the funny part. He told me I should give you two some space, right," he laughed as though that in itself was funny, although his companions just stared back at him blankly. "And _then_ he told me he saw you two _kissing _earlier when he ran into you. Can you believe that?"

There was a moment when Gavner laughed and the other occupants of the table did not. But, quickly catching on, Arra and Larten quickly launched into forced fits of laughter, both awkwardly staring down at the table tops.

"Kurda's so stupid," Arra commented, a little too transparently, fiddling with a stray piece of hair.

"He even tried to make out that you'd got really embarrassed when he caught you," Gavner said, nudging Larten. "As if you would care what he thinks!"

Arra snorted quietly at the memory. He'd blushed all the way to the roots of his hair when Kurda had brushed past and politely cleared his throat – then tried to cover up his embarrassment with a few coughs and a growled warning that the blonde should find something more satisfying to do with his time than stalk other people around the tunnels. She decided it probably wasn't the time to tell Gavner about that.

"I mean, look at you, you're pretty much always bright red," Gavner chuckled, waving a hand at his friend's currently beetroot-red cheeks – reliving the memory was even enough to make him blush. Larten forced a chuckle, vowing quietly to wring Kurda's neck the next time he saw the skinny blonde. Gavner suddenly looked thoughtful.

"Did you run into him at all though?" he asked seriously, glancing at Arra. "You didn't mention it."

She shrugged one shoulder nonchalantly. "Yeah, he was in the tunnels like he always is. We didn't say much to him, he just sort of waved and then went on his way. I can't remember when we saw him – I don't think we were doing anything particularly er, memorable."

She hadn't meant to say it like that, of course, but almost laughed out loud at the look in Larten's eyes, biting down hard on her tongue to quell the bubble of amusement. Gavner didn't notice her odd behaviour, humming thoughtfully. "He's got a bit of an overactive imagination I guess," he said, writing off the whole odd affair. "That, or he's just trying to wind me up."

"Wouldn't put it past him," Arra chimed in, as though she'd never in her life have tried to do such a thing, when they all remembered well the times her coaxing had gotten him into trouble. "It is _Kurda_ after all."

Gavner laughed heartily at that, pleased that her hatred of the blonde was still in place even if her mood was unusual. It simply wouldn't do to have her become too cheerful – it wouldn't have suited her.

"That's settled then," Gavner rounded off with, and then stood and hopped off the bench. "I'll be back – you do want a drink, don't you?"

"Yes," the two vampires at the table answered automatically – they more than needed one after this ordeal. Happy that they were as desperate for alcohol as he was (and not concerned about the reason), Gavner strode off towards the barrels, leaving his friends alone.

Larten waited a moment before a smirk split across his face.

"Nothing memorable?" he asked in mock offence, one hand clutching his chest as though his heart was breaking, his mouth slipping into an exaggerated frown.

"Oh shut _up_," his female companion laughed, swinging round into a sitting position just so that she could kick him under the table. She rested her elbows on the table and leaned forward to speak more naturally with him now that Gavner wasn't around, looking for every sign of any spark between them. "I might not have said it if you hadn't made me do _all _the talking, I was under pressure. And I didn't mean it like that. You know I didn't."

"I should hope not," he replied, drumming his fingers idly on the table next to her elbow. "Besides," he said, shooting her a sharp smile and deciding to be a little bold. He even relaxed his strict speech, just because it could do no harm – he could be entirely himself with her. "You know I'll give you _memorable_, any night I can have you completely to myself."

She leaned across a little more, resting her chin in the palm of one hand. "You think so?" she taunted, a spark of mischief in her silvery eyes. He was surprised at the bluntness of the flirtation, but certainly had no complaints about it. Sitting forward, he rested his arms in front of him, so close to her that there were probably two inches between the tip of each of their noses. Her tongue darted out to wet her bottom lip and he grinned again.

Though they did not notice, from across the room Gavner frowned.

"Oh yes, I'm certain," he replied smoothly, a twinkle in his eye. "Though I can't promise you'll be able to remember much _else _afterwards…"

She laughed quietly, almost under her breath, and flushed as she looked back at him in silence for a long moment. The heat between them was almost unbearable. "Soon," she said eventually, barely more than a whisper – it was halfway between a question and a plea. Her eyes shifted down, embarrassed, but before she could turn away he'd slid a hand into the back of her hair and pulled her in for an electric kiss, half-expecting to hear the air crackle around them from the energy.

They held the kiss far too long to know that it was safe – but it hardly mattered; Gavner had seen the entire exchange from the beginning. Firstly, he reminded himself never to doubt Kurda Smahlt again. Secondly, he allowed himself to feel a little betrayed that they had lied about it, even when he'd told them exactly what Kurda had said – it hardly seemed noble. And thirdly, he grinned, and made his way over to his friends as soon as they remembered their surroundings. His extraordinary relationship destruction plan was officially in operation.

…_As of tomorrow night_, he thought as he glanced at his ale. It wouldn't do to have no drinking partners.

* * *

><p>After a few well-placed questions directed at Kurda – who was peacefully unaware of the fact that Larten Crepsley intended to kill him as soon as he ran into him – Gavner had a far better idea of the pair's usual activities while he was involved in other things. Aside from his initial horror that they'd been lying to him <em>and <em>using his cell as a hideout, Gavner was pleased to know exactly where and when to catch them. Of course, there was no chance of him missing his training, and he made sure to be a little _early _just to be sure he wouldn't need to stay longer and face any punishment for lateness, but he could cry off from helping Seba for a few nights. As soon as he'd approached the old vampire with an exaggerated groan and his hand clutching one side of his head, Seba had rolled his eyes and dismissed him. That left him a few hours that he never usually had in order to seek out his friends and –

Suddenly, Gavner was struck by a far better idea. Of course _he _didn't want to find them. His whole plan would be ruined if he caught them himself – they would easily figure out his intentions if they believed he knew about it. No, it was far more important to get _other people _to catch them.

Mika Ver Leth passed him in the tunnel just as the plan had formed in his mind, and he swivelled round on the spot to call after the black-haired General. Mika looked curious more than anything at the sound of his name, but when his dark eyes fell on a slightly nervous-looking Gavner he frowned deeply. It was no secret that Mika thought most of the younger vampires – with the exception of Arra, of course – were complete idiots. He had very little time for the games of the youngsters, and Gavner was the worst of them all for immaturity.

"There's a loose rock in my cell," Gavner blurted, willing his head to catch up with his mouth. Mika _already _looked unimpressed, and Gavner came to the realization, as the larger vampire drew up to speak to him, that he was incredibly threatening up-close. Avoiding eye contact and staring instead at the General's cloaked shoulder, Gavner merely listened as Mika let out a huff.

"Has that," he began with a veneer of patience that was betrayed by the deep rumbling growl in his voice. "Got anything to do with me, Purl?"

Resisting the urge to blurt "No sir!", scurry away and avoid Mika for the next several hundred years, Gavner cleared his throat and eventually forced his eyes to meet the General's. "Well," Gavner began, licking his dry lips in anxiety. "It's letting all the cold air in from outside. I need to get it fixed. I've tried myself, but I'm not much with tools."

This wasn't entirely untrue. His cell always had featured an irritating loose rock that constantly dislodged in strong wind, letting all the freezing air from outside the Mountain into his cell while he slept. Gavner had never actually considered doing anything about it, but he supposed it might not be so bad if he managed to get his friends caught in the act and his pesky wall fixed. Mika shook his head at the stupidity of the young assistant. "Take it up with Seba," he growled, fixing him with a withering glare as he turned away, angry at having his time wasted. How Arra put up with having that for a mentor he'd never know. No wonder she could be a bit snippy sometimes.

"Well," Gavner continued, stopping Mika in his tracks. "The problem is, I don't want to be in any trouble with Seba. And the thing is, it's not my fault the rock's loose in the first place – it's Arra's." Mika finally looked slightly interested. Gavner should have known to mention his beloved assistant for a more favourable reaction earlier on. "I don't want to get her into any trouble, but I don't want to be in any trouble by taking the blame myself…" Gavner said, shrugging as though he was caught in an impossible dilemma. Really, he was stopping himself from smiling.

Mika groaned, looking like he had far more important things to be doing with his time than becoming a handyman for a day, but eventually nodded and began following Gavner the other way through the tunnels, winding back towards the younger man's cell. Mika wasn't exactly the most delightful company, Gavner noticed, and he didn't say anything all the way back to his cell, choosing to focus ahead like he was eager to get the whole sorry situation sorted out as quickly as vampirically possible. Gavner was happy when he finally felt able to escape.

"My cell's just down that corridor, at the very end next to the wall," Gavner told the grumpy General. "I'm just going to run and get you a chisel. I've tried myself and trust me, these rocks are made of strong stuff!" For good measure, Gavner punched one of the walls, staring down afterwards at his aching fist. Mika let out a sigh of despair, said nothing, and set off down the corridor.

Of course, Gavner had no intention of fetching a chisel, wherever he would even have fetched one from. He pretended to scurry away but actually slid behind one of the corridor walls, eagerly peering round to check on Mika's progress. He slid along the corridor, carrying himself as regally as he always did, and then quickly rounded the corner into the cell. Holding his breath in anticipation, Gavner was rewarded for his sneakiness with a roar of surprise from someone with a deep voice – it sounded like Mika, but Gavner supposed it just as easily could have been Larten – the beginnings of a panicked negotiation from Arra, and then _thud. _Gavner had to bite down on his bottom lip hard to keep from laughing as he saw his best friend land heavily against the cavern wall opposite his doorway. Deciding to quit while he was ahead, Gavner wandered off down the tunnel that would lead him back to the centre of the Mountain, whistling happily as he listened to the beginnings of the explosive argument behind him. _There_, he thought. _That should do it._

* * *

><p>"Don't you feel even slightly bad about it?" Kurda asked, after Gavner had filled him in on his brilliant relationship-ruining success. The blonde had found it hard to hold back a smile when confronted with the image of an unfortunate run-in between the new couple and the jealous mentor, but then had gone back to frowning again as soon as the brief amusement had passed. Gavner, looking much more relaxed now that he felt he had solved his problem, propped his feet up on the bench and shrugged.<p>

"I know them both really well, Kurda," he argued. "I know they aren't right for each other. Larten might think he likes her now but he's a womanizer deep down. He'll be bored of her by next week. And Arra, well. You know. She's just crazy. If he does actually have any genuine feelings for her, he needs to snap out of them quickly before she turns tarantula and eats him. I wouldn't put it past her."

However much Kurda agreed with that last statement, he tried to keep a straight face for morality's sake.

"You just don't want to be a third wheel," Kurda said. "Which is stupid, because you always were anyway." Terrified that Gavner was going to use that as another reason to try and destroy their relationship again, and noticing his protruding bottom lip, Kurda took another angle on the situation. "I was wrong when I said you should give them space," he lied. He hadn't been wrong at all – he could only imagine how annoying it was for them, trying to find a moment to themselves only to be constantly confronted with Gavner, a vampire immune to even the most unbearable awkwardness or tension. "I'm sure they love having you around them all night every night, Gav. I'm sure they think it's great. You don't have to split them up – they still want you just as much as they ever did."

Before Gavner had any time to consider that, he noticed a little flash of orange at the entrance to the Hall. His best friend, looking utterly defeated, stumbled into the Hall and promptly fetched himself a large mug of ale, collapsing eventually into the bench beside Gavner.

Kurda quirked an eyebrow at Gavner, imploring him to have some sympathy for his friend. The bulky man just grinned.

"You feeling alright, Larten?" he asked nonchalantly as his orange-haired companion rubbed his weary eyes. Now that Gavner had a chance to look at him properly, he could see that one of his eyes was starting to swell up, clearly the result of a well-placed punch some time earlier. The older vampire grumbled a response that didn't sound entirely positive through several gulps of ale. Kurda noticed the developing black eye and let out a slight chuckle – which reminded Larten of exactly what he'd been meaning to do to the blonde the previous night. Of course, there would be no chance of him mentioning it – much less punching Kurda several times – in front of Gavner without having to explain the situation as a whole, and so instead, he settled for just fixing the blonde the most unpleasant glare he could muster, mouthing threatening statements when Gavner was looking elsewhere.

Kurda blanched, and then stopped himself. It seemed so silly that he had tried to talk Gavner out of his little plot and tried desperately to make him have some sympathy with his friends when said friends probably wanted to rip his throat out. As usual, Kurda was sticking to his morals even when there was nothing in it for him. This time, he decided, there was no harm in being a little immoral. He had never liked Larten and Arra much anyway.

"I have things to be getting on with," he said vaguely, climbing out of his seat and nodding a goodbye to the murderous orange-haired vampire. Then he placed a hand on Gavner's shoulder. "You know what, Gav?" he said, trying to sound as sincere as possible. "I was wrong. You _are_ doing the right thing. Keep on it." With a conspiratorial wink, he disappeared away, smirking to himself all the way back to his chambers.

"What did he mean?" Larten asked.

"Oh, er…nothing. Private joke," Gavner laughed awkwardly. "So, come on then," he prompted, trying to change the subject to avoid being caught out. "What happened?"

"Oh …it does not matter," Larten lied. To anyone watching them, the awkwardness of each of their responses would have indicated plainly that they were both trying to hide their own lies – but the two friends were oblivious to their own transparency. "I upset Mika…in a training session. He is not…" Larten sighed, taking another large gulp of ale at the memory. "He is not an easy man to reason with."

"Yes he is," Gavner argued, just to be obtuse – his experience with the dark-haired General earlier had proved how difficult and vaguely terrifying he could be; Gavner just wanted to see his friend squirm. He hid his smile behind the back one of his chunky hands as he pressed it to his lips. "Mika's known for his reasoning. That's why Vancha made him reason with the Vampaneze. If _any _vampire should be easy to reason with, surely it is Mika."

"Yes, well," Larten said sourly, staring off vaguely at a spot on the far wall, seemingly deep in thought about his situation. "He is not so reasonable about everything in life." Then he smiled briefly, as though he was telling a little joke. "Let us just say that Mika is a sore loser, sometimes."

"Did you best him in a fight, then?" Gavner quizzed knowingly.

"Of sorts," Larten replied, with another little smile.

Before Gavner could press his friend any further, much to his surprise Arra hopped into the seat across from them, looking a little tired but smiling nevertheless. Gavner did not miss the way Larten suddenly perked up – sitting a little straighter, his eyes a little brighter, generally happy in a way he did not usually project. Gavner thought it was more than a little sickening. Where was the man Gavner had met years ago who proclaimed love to every pretty girl who crossed his path? Throughout all of his romances, Gavner had never seen such a ridiculous doting look in his eyes. Before it could bother him too much, Gavner remembered that his interference today had certainly changed things for the couple. On that note, he looked Arra over suspiciously. He'd imagined Mika might have decided to go travelling as a result of tonight's little skirmish, and made her pack her bags and go with him. If not, he'd had visions of Mika forbidding her to see her orange-haired love interest, keeping her busy with chores or handing her over to Seba to help with Council preparations as a punishment. And yet, here she sat, grinning at her friends as though nothing had changed.

Larten shifted his eyes sideways briefly at Gavner, then back to her. He couldn't wait for Gavner to tire of their company for the day before he could speak to her about Mika – it was simply too important.

"Is Mika very angry?" he eventually blurted. Gavner gaped at him, wondering whether they were about to come clean with him. Arra was gawking at him too, shocked that he'd said such a thing in front of Gavner. "About the fight, I mean. In the Games Hall," Larten added sheepishly as an afterthought. "He did not take his loss well."

Arra looked down and the smile slid off her face. It was clear Mika had been the last thing she wished to discuss. "He's certainly not happy," she said softly. "He…" she glanced at Gavner again, who looked back at her expectantly. "He's angry with you, but only because you beat him. He's angrier with me, particularly because I didn't tell him that you'd been, er, doing so much training."

Larten tried not to smile at her effort to continue with their cover-up – even if her success had been minimal. "What did you say to him?" he asked, wanting the answer but also mischievously looking forward to watching her struggle with her words. She shot him a cross look.

"I told him I was sorry I hadn't said anything sooner," she revealed. "But then, I didn't really see why it mattered so much. Even if he'd known you were a threat," she smiled briefly at her little joke. "There isn't much he could have done about it. Losing to you, I mean."

"Perhaps he's going to fight you differently from now on,"" Gavner interjected to the surprise of both of his friends. "You know, now that he knows he's got competition from you. He'll probably just fight and fight and fight you until eventually, you lose. Mika always wins." The stocky vampire innocently sipped his mug of blood. "You should probably count yourself lucky you even won once, and get out now. It's only a matter of time before he leaves you feeling humiliated when you lose eventually."

Larten looked very perturbed by that idea, and stared down at the table in misery. Gavner felt a flash of guilt, but of course did nothing to indicate it.

"Trust me," Arra said, catching Larten's eye as she dipped her head to look at him. "I know that won't happen."

"How can you know?" Gavner asked.

"I just know!" she snapped crossly. She wrestled with herself obviously for a second or two, and then clasped a hand over Larten's arm, unable to reach for his hand with Gavner watching them and frustrated by it. "_Trust_ me," she implored, and even if Gavner pretended he hadn't known about their secret relationship he thought he would have guessed it from her behaviour. "You've got nothing to worry about. _I_ would know."

Larten smiled at what he thought was their private joke. Gavner, keeping up with the difference between what had actually happened and Larten's imaginary successful battle against Mika (as if), just rolled his eyes while they were too busy staring into each other's. He could hardly believe that his first plan had failed – had Mika taken leave of his senses, or hadn't he the sense to see the necessity of keeping Arra _away _from her new beau? If he hadn't been so scared of the General, he might have set out to tell him. As it was, though, Gavner had no choice but to accept that Mika had either accepted the idea of the two of them together, or did not wish to make his assistant unhappy by forbidding it. Gavner considered that for a long moment. If Mika couldn't stand it, was he going to be able to stand watching both of his closest friends be unhappy after he broke them up? He deliberated, but then noticed that they were _still _looking at each other and let out a dramatic sigh. He simply couldn't have two best friends who spent all night staring at each other in such a pathetic way, however bad he was going to feel about it later.

* * *

><p>It took another couple of nights for Gavner to manoeuvre himself into position to interfere again. By all accounts, regardless of Mika's disappointingly accepting response to the revelation of his assistant's new romance, he'd mentioned his discovery to Seba, who had been frustrated by his own former assistant's behaviour – Larten had been pretending to be busy preparing for his first test towards becoming a General throughout the past months, therefore having the perfect excuse not to help Seba with the preparations for Council, despite a knowledge that his mentor was rushed completely off his feet. Seba liked Arra and was probably delighted with the idea of the match between the two of them – but that didn't stop him from punishing Larten for his lies, and forcing him into hours of work every night in the storerooms, relieving a clearly exhausted Gavner from some of his duties.<p>

Gavner highly doubted that Mika's casual mention of Arra and Larten's antics to Seba had been a mere coincidence. He admired the sneakiness of the General – clearly, he had felt that imposing any restriction on Arra was likely to lead to tension between the two of them and would have meant revealing his own jealousy, and so his only option had been to temporarily remove Larten by signing him up for forced labour under Seba Nile. Gavner also discovered, after another night in the couple's unbearable company, that Mika had lied about his reason for being in the cell at all. Gavner had no idea at all why he might have done that – it seemed the only motivation was to protect _him_, which, from what he'd gleaned from his interaction with a cold, permanently angry Mika was somewhat unlikely. It wasn't until Mika had given him a tight-lipped smile in the Hall of Kheldon Lurt that sunset that Gavner had realized – Mika had correctly inferred that Gavner had meant for him to find his assistant in such a compromising position, but had incorrectly assumed that it was because Gavner wished the two of them split up because he felt that Mika was a better partner for her. Gavner, in truth, didn't give a toss who Arra ended up with, if anyone, just as long as it wasn't Larten, but it was clear that Mika now considered him some bizarre sort of ally.

"What was that about?" Kurda asked, gaping at the exchange of smiles as Mika swept past. "Mika Ver Leth doesn't _smile_."

Gavner was looking pretty chuffed, slowly coming to the realization that involving Mika had not been such a waste of time after all. Not only was it keeping Romeo and Juliet apart, he'd also managed to gain the respect – or at least, an inkling of kindness – from the hard General. It was win-win all round…well, except for Larten and Arra.

"He must think I had him catch them for his sake," Gavner concluded, grinning. "Seems like he's grateful that I tipped him off about it."

Kurda very nearly pointed out how awful this all seemed, his damned conscience clawing to the surface again, but then he caught sight of Arra as she approached them – noticeably _without _her usual company. She was glaring at him already, and for a moment Kurda had no idea why, only remembering a second later that the clueless couple were still blaming him for putting the idea of their relationship into Gavner's head. Little did they know that it was _Gavner_ who was the cause of the majority of their problems. "You'd better make yourself scarce, mate," Gavner laughed, seeing the look in Arra's eyes at the same time as his blonde friend. "She does _not_ look happy with you!"

Rolling his eyes again at the ridiculous situation, and well and truly unable to bring himself to care enough to remind Gavner that his warped little plan was a bad idea, Kurda simply sighed again and slid off into one of the connecting tunnels as Arra took a seat next to Gavner.

She looked vaguely satisfied that she'd managed to scare the annoying pacifist away until Gavner's mock-innocent question reminded her of the source of her anger. "Where's Larten?" he asked, as though he hadn't watched the orange-haired vampire lug coffins in and out of cells earlier in the night. Arra huffed. "Seba's making him spend more time in the storerooms," she explained, clearly completely unaware of Gavner's involvement in that outcome. "After the, er, unpleasantness the other night, I think Mika might have let slip to Seba about, um, their fight."

"I see," Gavner said, amused that she had continued to lie to him. Deciding that he might not have the opportunity to speak to Arra alone again for some time, Gavner took this opportunity to put the second part of his plan into action. Trying not to smile, he sighed wistfully. "I can't wait until after Council," he announced, trying not to sound too rehearsed. Arra stared at him oddly after that, and so he carried on as quickly as possible. "Have you and Mika got any plans?"

Arra pulled a face. "To be honest with you," she said, grimacing. "I think I might move on _without_ Mika after this Council. For one thing, rumour has it that he'll be made a Prince within the next couple of years, and for another…" she pursed her lips as if trying to decide on the best way to frame the comment she was about to make. "I think we've outgrown each other," she finished lamely, acutely aware of the cliché. Gavner nodded, pretending to be interested. Gavner himself had been blooded by Paris Skyle, who rarely left the Mountain, and of course since Seba becoming Quartermaster, Larten was rarely able to leave either. He recalled a conversation from almost a year ago, when Arra had only just arrived back from travelling with Mika, in which Larten had suggested the two of them left the Mountain after next Council and travelled together, perhaps heading back to London. They had travelled together before for a brief time – Paris and Seba were old friends and had decided to embark on the trip to Vampire Mountain together after encountering one another by chance in London. Their two assistants had first become friends on that trip, and Gavner fondly remembered the Larten from those months – a complete drunkard, a reckless womanizer, and was eager to see him again.

"I think Larten is bored of the Mountain," Gavner hinted slyly. He stared over at a conversation between two elderly vampires rather than looking at Arra, terrified he might give himself away if he looked at her too long. "There's so little for him here. I remember what he used to be like –" Gavner broke off and glanced at her briefly before throwing out his poorly-concealed suggestions that she was merely a temporary fixture in their lives. "You know, before we ever met you. You should have seen him in Paris!"

Gavner laughed at the memory. "I swear, he fell for a different French girl every night – cut her loose the next morning, then found a new one at sunset. I think he kept a couple around for longer, more like a week. Those were his idea of something _really serious_. I think he kept one for a month, convinced himself he really loved her, then had a bit too much to drink one night and realised he had thousands more women to get through before we left the city." Gavner shook his head in mock despair at his friend's past antics, sneaking a glance at his side to see Arra's eyes predictably averted. As intended, she was wondering whether she was likely to be that French girl, dropped as soon as Larten remembered what he'd been missing outside of the confines of the Mountain.

"I just think he must miss all that when he's trapped in here," Gavner finished, sensing that he'd given her something to think about. "Besides, he's already told me we'll leave together after Council and go back to London and maybe after that head back into Paris. You could come too, if you're finishing your apprenticeship," Gavner suggested, although he hoped she wouldn't even consider it. "Although, I'm not sure you'll approve of Larten any more when you see him in action!" he laughed after that, then turned to look at her. "It might ruin him for you," he concluded, as close as he could get to saying 'he'll drop you like a stone for the first pretty girl he lays eyes on' as he could get without actually saying the words.

In perfect timing, and before Arra could think of a reasonably neutral way to respond to that, Larten spotted them from across the Hall and came over to sit with them. Arra was still thinking about the information Gavner had given her, giving Larten a quick smile and a nod as he sat down, but saying nothing and mostly keeping her eyes down. Though Gavner instantly started teasing his friend about being forced to help Seba because of what had happened with Mika, Larten had noticed the change in Arra immediately and barely registered Gavner's taunts. Careful not to be too affectionate in front of Gavner, but concerned all the same, Larten settled for a somewhat awkward tap on the arm above the table, and a slightly more gentle hand on her knee underneath it. "Are you alright?" he asked. Gavner noted the genuine concern in his eyes and allowed himself to feel guilty for a brief moment. As much as he hated to admit it, Gavner knew there was a difference between the way Larten had felt about all his French girls, none of which he could even remember the names of anymore, and the way he clearly felt about Arra. It was too late to take back what he'd said to her though, and Gavner swallowed his guilt as well as he could.

"I'm fine," Arra responded unconvincingly, unable to bring the subject up again in front of Gavner. Sliding his hand underneath her knee and against the tendon was too much – even if it had been meant as a comforting gesture, she couldn't get what Gavner had said out of her mind. Perhaps he was right; Larten probably did intend to disappear after Council and head back to his old hedonistic lifestyle – she was probably only something to pass the time. She felt terribly cheated for a reason she couldn't identify. It wasn't as if Larten had ever promised her more than that, but certainly it had _felt _like more than that, to her at least. Perhaps that was the real reason he hadn't wanted to tell Gavner – it wasn't a big deal to him, and he didn't want a fuss made. Feeling like she'd been made a fool out of, but unwilling and unable to show that in front of a clueless Gavner, she shifted to sit sideways on the bench, knocking away Larten's hand and facing Gavner so that she didn't have to look at him.

There was an uncomfortable minute of silence around the table of friends – Arra feeling oddly betrayed, Larten deeply confused and wracking his brains to think of something he might have done to upset her, and Gavner beginning to feel terribly guilty as he watched her give him the cold shoulder. He tried to say something to get them to move forward, but then he saw Larten still staring at Arra, his eyes hurt, and he was suddenly too guilty to speak. However much he hated the idea, Gavner knew things had changed for his best friend. He wasn't really going to drop Arra for a pointless fling in London, and that was even if he wanted to travel anymore – Gavner had a terrible feeling that Larten was more likely to want to take Arra somewhere, just the two of them, rather than go back to his old haunts with the younger vampire. Even though that left him on the edge, Gavner was no longer sure he could deal with being the cause of a falling out between the two of them – Larten was looking so much more worried than he had ever expected, and Arra was genuinely upset in a way he'd never thought she would be. She wasn't exactly given to being emotional, and he'd expected her to take what he'd said on board and then move on, maybe deciding in the back of her mind that she'd have to finish with Larten before Council ended. Instead, she was biting the inside of her mouth and standing to leave.

"I need to see Vanez," she blurted, muttering something after that about training for a position they all knew she'd never mentioned before.

No longer concerned about whether Gavner figured out that they were a couple or not and far more worried about what he'd done to upset her so much, Larten stood up with her. "I need to speak to him too," he lied transparently. "I will come with you."

"I really want to go on my own," she admitted softly, through the audible lump in her throat. Gavner felt physically nauseous from his own guilty conscience – but he could hardly fix it now. Everything he'd said was true; Larten really had wanted to go back to London, and he really had been an awful womanizer in Paris years ago. His fault was in making out that Larten was at all likely to just forget about her the moment he left the Mountain, or in suggesting that she was no better than those girls he hadn't really cared about in bars in France, but there was no way to convince her otherwise now that he'd said it, even if he took it all back.

Trying to find a way to signal to her that it didn't matter about Gavner being there anymore, or that he was sorry for whatever he'd done, simply turned into reaching out for her shoulder as she made to go past him. "Arra, just stay," he pleaded, trying to find a sign of what was wrong in her expression.

"I just want to be on my own," she snapped, meeting his eyes only for a second before slipping out of his grip. "Bye Gav," she said over her shoulder, one last attempt to make the situation seem a little more ordinary before she disappeared, noticeably in the complete opposite direction to the Sports Halls, where she would have been likely to find Vanez. Larten slid back into his seat, defeated, and pressed a hand over his eyes briefly.

"Was she alright before I got here?" he asked after a minute of Gavner having no idea what to say. He considered revealing all he'd said and his whole plot right then, but it was too late now, and he didn't relish the idea of ruining his friendship with Larten unnecessarily when he'd already upset Arra. When he hesitated, Larten prompted him again with an impatient wave of his hand.

"I don't know!" Gavner forced out, shrugging. "She was fine. I'm sure she's fine, calm down about it."

"Fine is not the word I would use," the orange-haired vampire retorted. "Did she say anything to you?"

"No," Gavner responded, the guilty lump rising in his throat again.

"Well," Larten continued, more and more impatient with his friend's totally useless answers. "What were the two of you talking about before I got here?"

"I was telling her about London," Gavner said, suddenly finding he was unable to lie about it. He cursed himself for not being able to just allow them to fall apart like he'd thought he wanted. "And I was talking about those couple of months we spent in Paris, and how we said we might go back when Council finishes. I told her I thought you were bored here and how I thought you were probably looking forward to getting back to the sort of life we had in Paris – less responsibility, more women. I didn't mean it to come across like it…might have done," he admitted. "But I don't see why that should have upset her," he added tactfully. "She knows you were a bit of a rogue when you were younger, and it's not as if she was always perfect –"

Larten swore and clapped a hand over his eyes again. "Why did you even have to mention that?" he growled crossly. "It was years ago!"

"Exactly!" Gavner said, panicked. "That's why it doesn't matter! It can't be just that she's so upset about," Gavner lied. "I mean, would it bother you so much to hear something like that about her?"

Larten let out a groan. "Almost certainly," he answered, and then finally took his hand away from his eyes to look at his friend. "Gavner, I am sorry I have not mentioned it," he began awkwardly, turning bright red immediately. "But, er, there was just not a correct time to do so. Arra and I…are a little more than we used to be. I really – I really am serious about her, Gavner, and not the kind of serious that lasted me a week in Paris." Little did he know that Gavner had already told her that story… "I have felt like this about her a long time now, we just did not want to tell you in case you felt somehow excluded. The last thing we would have wanted was for you to feel as though we no longer wanted you around, or something as ridiculous as that."

Though that wasn't entirely true – mainly, he hadn't mentioned it to Gavner for fear the pesky younger man would never ever leave them alone ever again – Gavner felt the guilt rising again.

"Do not tell her I said so," Larten continued, an odd smile tugging at one corner of his lips – perhaps this was what Kurda had meant by that love-struck look. "I do not want to be…well, _Mika_ about it. I would hate her to feel that I am pushing it on her, but I want to ask her to be my mate one day, after a few more months. It has not been long, but I already know that I will not change my mind."

_Fuck_, Gavner thought simply, _he's only gone and fallen in love with her._ As much as he dreaded all the times he'd be a hopeless third wheel in the future, and as much as he was not looking forward to the day they decided to travel together and leave him to fend for himself, there was simply only one moral course of action to take. To the surprise of his friend, Gavner abruptly stood. "I'll see you later," he said. "I've got a couple of things to sort out."

Larten nodded obliviously. "I had better find Arra," he said, but Gavner shook his head.

"Give her an hour," he suggested, hoping his friend would take his advice – especially because just this once, he wasn't trying to cause him any trouble.

* * *

><p>Gavner was pleased to find he'd found Arra first, predictably not speaking to Vanez, instead flicking through some sort of book in her cell. He wasn't sure if she read much, or at all – it was something he had never asked her – but it seemed that whether she had been reading the words or not, they had not held her attention. She closed the book instantly as Gavner approached. Unaware that he'd caused the trouble intentionally, she smiled up at him as he edged into her cell, checking over his shoulder repeatedly to see if Mika was in the cell opposite.<p>

"He's not there," Arra reassured him after a moment of watching him try to sneak glances at the other cell. She rolled her eyes as Gavner breathed a loud sigh of relief. "Why would he care about you coming to see me anyway?" she laughed. "It's only Larten he doesn't like lately. He'd been singing your praises actually. He even told me I ought to spend more time with you – apparently you've a "good head" on your shoulders."

Gavner smiled sheepishly. He felt bad for getting Larten beaten to a pulp by the General the other night, but he couldn't say he was unhappy to have Mika in his corner – he was certainly a valuable ally. He supposed there was no need to inform Mika that he'd changed his mind about ruining Arra's relationship with his friend – now that they had a sort of alliance formed, he really didn't want to have to make an enemy of the fearsome older vampire. Instead of getting drawn in on that topic – and then having to explain exactly _how_ he'd won Mika's favour – Gavner took a seat against the wall.

"I just came to say sorry for what I said earlier," he said quickly, not giving himself time to think about what he was saying in case he allowed himself to backtrack. In an effort to preserve her usual tough persona, Arra looked at him quizzically as though she couldn't remember what they'd discussed – but soon nodded when he raised a disbelieving eyebrow.

"I didn't mean it to upset you," he told her, hoping that perhaps this was all he'd have to say on the topic.

Arra shrugged. "It didn't," she lied, fiddling with a splinter on the lid of her coffin. "It's not any of my business," she said uneasily, committed to not telling Gavner as she'd promised. He simply rolled his eyes.

"Larten's already told me," he revealed. He was amazed to see Arra blush, just a little, after he said it – before then, he hadn't even been sure she had the capability to be embarrassed.

Shaking off that brief moment where she'd almost seemed _normal, _Arra shrugged again. "It's none of my business either way," she said, still focusing on the lid of her coffin. "Besides," she continued, tracing the raised wood with one hand, a welcome distraction from the awkward conversation she was being forced to have with Gavner, of all people – she couldn't think of anyone she was less likely to reveal her feelings to than the overly cheery, mostly oblivious young vampire. "It was all true anyway, what you were saying," she continued. "So even if it had upset me – which it really didn't," she interjected in typical Arra fashion. "You wouldn't have to apologize. It's not your fault. Besides, if you'd known I'm sure you wouldn't have said anything."

Gavner cleared his throat awkwardly. Mostly, he was trying to stop himself from telling her that he had known all along, and his intention had been to get exactly this reaction from her but that in the end, he hadn't been able to stand seeing the two of them so crushed. There was no need for her to know, he reminded himself several times, and it wouldn't make any difference telling her. They were going to be fine regardless of whether he admitted it or not, there was no reason to –

"Iwastryingtosplityouup," he blurted suddenly. Gavner mentally slapped himself several times after that. Arra's head snapped up instantly in his peripheral vision and he resigned himself to a well-deserved series of beatings for this. Sighing, he continued (with his eyes shut). "Kurda told me you needed space and I was worried you two would disappear off into the sunset and leave me with only smarmy Smahlt for company," it was Arra's favourite nickname for Kurda and he hoped using it might save him one or two broken bones.

He was still waiting for the beating when he heard a soft chuckle. Creaking open one eye, he caught sight of a smirk.

"You're such a dick," she said. "Larten said you got jealous easily, but _fuck_, Gavner. You're sly."

Realizing that she wasn't about to chop his balls off, Gavner at least had the decency to look a little ashamed. He blushed and ran a hand through his messy brown hair, smiling sheepishly at her.

"That was the only reason I said any of it," he said. Half of him despised his inability to follow through, and the other half of him was distantly pleased that he was too kind to watch his friends become unhappy – even if Larten probably would disembowel him when he found out. He carried on looking up at Arra, who was still examining the surface of her coffin, and was surprised not to see any of the fury he had expected on her face. "…Are you not angry?" he asked after a moment, wondering if he was wandering into some sort of trap.

She smiled.

"…Do you remember that girl you and Larten met," Arra began, waving her hand as though some of the details were vague to her. "Maybe in Paris? A human girl you really liked, called Carla or something?"

"Carlotta," Gavner breathed. Of course he remembered Carlotta. When Larten had been busy chasing every skirt in the whole of the city, Gavner had laid eyes on Carlotta their first night in town, and had never even considered another human girl afterwards. She and her family owned a tavern they visited often – she was a beautiful, half-Italian girl, with tumbling brown curls, olive skin and soft brown eyes, and a delightfully warm way of speaking that had captured his attention. Larten had only cared about chasing girls for one reason, but Gavner was a firm believer in love at first sight, and he'd loved Carlotta from the moment she'd smiled at him on his first night. Eventually, largely through persistence, Gavner had managed to coerce her into spending a little of her time with him. On the days when she could not see him, he sent her flowers – on the days when she could see him, he presented her with them in person. Larten had warned him thousands of times that he would suffocate her with so much attention, but Carlotta had seemed quietly charmed by the clumsy young gentleman. One night, he'd gone to see her while she worked, roses in one hand and a beautiful necklace he'd stolen from a rich woman he'd fed from in the other – only for her to reject his gifts and his advances completely, telling him that she never wished to see him again. Gavner had been crushed – Larten had forced him out that night in an effort to help him move on, and every night for weeks after, but nothing had helped. It had taken him years to get over her.

Arra chuckled at his expression. "Larten told me a story," she continued, and with a jolt Gavner remembered that she had not been around to witness their lives in Paris – he often forgot that the three of them had not been friends since the beginnings of their lives as vampires. "Apparently, you were _mad_ about this Carlotta girl. He couldn't stand you going on and on about her. You were a let-down of a drinking companion when you were thinking about her – just planning what flowers you were going to give her next." She met his eyes just as realization dawned. "So he told her to stay away from you," she concluded. "Apparently, he said the two of you were travelling on business and you had a wife at home in London. He never had the heart to tell you."

For a moment Gavner considered jumping up and going to search for his best friend to punish him for his actions, but then Arra laughed again.

"So he did the same thing to you," she concluded. "You two have so many problems. I don't think he'd appreciate me telling you but…well, I just think it's funny. You're both as bad as each other."

As angry as Gavner wanted to be at Larten for ruining a pleasant relationship with Carlotta, who he'd been ever so fond of, he couldn't stop himself from grinning. He didn't feel anywhere near as ridiculous knowing that Larten had done the same, for one thing, and even thinking about Carlotta made him re-evaluate the situation between Arra and his best friend. Perhaps if Gavner had become serious about Carlotta and tried to settle down, Larten might have found himself a lonely assistant once again – if Larten became serious about Arra and tried to settle down, the same would not happen to Gavner.

"Well," Gavner said, watching as she carried on picking the wood from the top of the coffin. She was clearly still thinking, regardless of his reassurances, about all that he'd said, and Gavner could only think of one thing that might reassure her. "You can't tell Larten I said so," he said, and Arra's grey eyes shifted up in poorly-concealed interest. "But he and I talked after you left. And I know that a few years ago he might have had an eye for every woman in every city in Europe –" he could barely contain a chuckle as Arra almost flinched. "- but let me tell you, he never considered asking any of _them _to be his mate."

Arra was so hard normally that it made Gavner smile again to see her eyes so wide and confused. She looked caught between amazed, terrified and disbelieving. "He would never have said that," she said softly, but Gavner nodded.

"His only concern," Gavner told her, happy to see the concern in her eyes melting away. "Is that he doesn't want to…" he cleared his throat awkwardly and grinned. "In his own words; _be Mika about it._"

Luckily, Arra began to laugh – he supposed there had been a chance of her taking that last little jibe at her mentor the wrong way. Before he could say any more to convince her that his interference had not been an indication of Larten's feelings for her being anything less than genuine, or before she could ask him exactly what had been said, he looked around as Larten lightly tapped his knuckles on the edge of the wall, unable to see Gavner from the angle he was stood at. He looked at Arra with such softness in his eyes that Gavner couldn't help but laugh silently to himself.

"May I come in?" the orange-haired vampire asked quietly, wringing his hands while he waited for a response. It was the kind of behaviour Gavner thought he'd never see from Larten, usually so sure in his actions – but he was well and truly nervous over what Arra would have to say to him after her emotional reaction to his arrival earlier, and after Gavner's words about his behaviour towards women in the past.

Instead of responding, Arra beckoned him in with a slight twitch of her head, and as soon as he crossed the threshold she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Larten seemed surprised to the extent that he actually stumbled backwards ever so slightly, and that was the final straw for Gavner, who let out an audible chuckle.

"Eurgh, you two are disgusting," he joked with a cheeky smile and a good-humoured wink. Then, as Larten's hands entwined behind her back to pull her close, Gavner rolled his eyes. Slipping past them, he gave his orange-haired friend a brotherly pat on the back.

"I'll leave you two lovebirds alone," he said cheerfully, wondering how much easier his life might have been if he had followed Kurda's advice and done just that in the first place, and then made to head out into the corridor – but both of his friends sun around as though they were once again _terrified _that they were leaving him out.

"Oh _no_, Gavner, stay," Arra pleaded, slipping out of Larten's grip in a way that made the older vampire frown. It was clear that she felt guilty about making Gavner feel like he would be the third wheel in the first place, and even as he attempted to convince her that nothing would have pleased him _more _than not having to watch their disgustingly soppy making-up session, even Larten slung an arm around his shoulders.

"Stay," his old friend said happily. "We need you anyway."

Arra nodded. Gavner felt a rush of warmth at his friend's words, and looked at their kind smiles in awe. "Really?" he asked, touched, reaching out to wrap an arm around Arra's shoulders and include her in the affectionate moment.

Before he reached, the other two burst into laughter.

"Wow," said Arra, so amused that there were little droplets of tears gathering at the corners of each eye. "You took that a bit seriously."

"Yeah," Larten chipped in. "We _need_ you to mock and send on errands. It is not as adorable as you seem to think."

Despite their cruel comments, Gavner knew them both well enough to ascertain that they had meant it, whether or not they wanted to admit to that. Grinning again, Gavner rubbed his hands together. "If you two need me so much then I suppose you'll have to come for a drink," he suggested, always in the mood for ale. "It's been a stressful hour or so, I'll tell you that."

Leading the way out of the cell, Gavner didn't notice the couple exchange glances behind his back. As they had both originally feared, Gavner now seemed completely, worryingly at ease – and quietly, Larten resigned himself to a miserable life of Gavner continually ruining romantic moments, tagging along whenever possible, enjoying mocking them and making them uncomfortable if they did anything that made them remotely resemble a couple in front of him. But, he supposed with a sigh, it was better than excluding their precious, socially awkward friend. Linking hands with Arra, and revelling in no longer feeling tense and hiding their relationship from Gavner, he draped an arm around her and placed a loving kiss on her forehead as well.

"Keep up, lovebirds!" Gavner bellowed embarrassingly in front of a crowd of Generals – who _all_ sniggered, making both Larten and Arra break apart and blush furiously, keeping their heads down in front of the laughing bunch of older vampires. "No snogging in the corridors, some of us would like to keep our food down!" he continued loudly, rousing another few laughs and even a clap or two from the Generals. As Arra put a hand over her face to hide her embarrassment and Larten ran a hand through his crop of hair and spluttered, Gavner laughed.

This wasn't going to be so bad after all.


End file.
